Territory



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. W'. SWAN.

RBAMER. N0. 397,525.

Patented Peb. `12, 1889.

N. PETERS, Pium-llhognpher. Wuhingtun. D, C.

(No Model.) l 2 sheets-sheet 2.v

W. W. SWAN.

BEAMER.

No. 397,525. Patented'f'eb. l2, 1889.

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PATENT REAIVI ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,525, dated February 12, 1889. Application filed May 19, 1888. Serial No. 274,393. (No model.)

To @ZZ wh/0712, io' 71mg/ con/cern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM WALLACE SWAN, a citizen of the United States, residing' at Andover, in the county of Day and Territory of Dakota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Reamers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in reamers for boring Artesian and oil wells and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices, that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a reamer with laterally-expansible bits which are adapted to be automatically adjusted, so as to enlarge the diameter of the bore below the casing-pipe, and thereby permit the latter to be lowered in the well.

In the accompanying drawiiigs, Figure l is a side elevation of myimprmed reamer, showing the same arranged in a well in position for boring the same, the pipe-casing being shown in section. Fig. 2 is an .edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same with one of the side plates and lockingplates removed.

A represents the body of the reamer, which is provided with a longitudinal recess, B, which is rectangular in crosssection, and ex tends from within a suitable distance of the upper end of the reamer to the lower end thereof. (lommunicating with the upper end of said recess and arranged. out of line with each other are vertical slots O, which open on opposite sides ot the reamer. On opposite sides of the reanler are plates D, which form the outer sides of the recess B, and are secured at their upper ends to the body of the reamer by means of transverse bolts E. A block, F, is arranged in the lower end of the recess B, and is secured between the platesE by means of a transverse bolt, G. i

H represents a pair of drill-bits, which are shaped as shown in Figs. l and 3, their inner sides or edges being angled, and are arranged in the upper end of the recess B and in the slots O, are in Contact with each other, and are pivoted on a bolt, I, which passes also through the side plates, I). Said side plates are provided at a suitable distanceljielow the bolt I with vertical slots K, and on the inner edges of the bits, at the lower ends ofthe same, are recesses, which, when said lower edges of the bits come together, form a vertical opening, L.

M represents a follower-block, which is arranged in the opening B, and is secured and guided therein by means of a bolt, N, which passes through said block and works in the slots K. The said block is provided on its upper side with a pair of arms, O, the opposing edges of which are inclined in opposite directions, as shown, presented to the inner edges of the bits, and have right-angled reeesses P at their lower ends, which receive the lower inner corners of the bit, as shown in Fig. 3.

R represents a coiled extensile spring', which is arranged in the lower end of the recess B and bears between the block F and the follower-block M, the function of the said spring being to raise the said follower-block normally to a position indicated in Fig. 3, and thereby cause said block to lock the bits H in the position shown in said ligure and prevent the l same from bein g retracted within the sides of the reamer.

On the outer sides of the plates I) are arranged a pair of lockingplates, S. The said plates S are pivoted at a suitable distance from their lower ends on the ends of the bolt N, and in the upper end of each plate S, near one side of the same, is a vertical slot, T, the upper end of which is inclined, as shown, and has a shoulder, U The ends of the bolt I operate in the slots T, and thereby cause the plates Sto move vertically on the sides of the reamer with the follower-block M.

From the lower side of the block F depends a ce1'1tering-stud,V. The upper end of the reamer has a threaded stem, W', which is adapted to be coupled to the drill-rod (not shown) in the usual manner.

The operation of my invention Vis as follows: In drilling Artesian and oil wells it is the custom to sink a casing-pipe, a., in the shaft as the same is bored. until a stratum of rock is reached, the function of the casing-pipe being to line the shaft or well and prevent the sides of the same from caving in. In many instances the geological formation is such that IOO after the drill or reamer passes through the hard rock at the bottom of the pipe it encounters a substratum of shale interspersed with strata of gritty sandstone an d hard li merock. Such a 'formation renders it necessary to line the well or shaft all the way down, iin some instances to a depth of two thousand feet. Heretofore when such. a formation has been encountered it has been necessary to withdraw the pipe already in the well and to substitute a larger reamer for the one in use, so as to rebore and enlarge the shaft or well through the hard rock to a sufficient diameter to admit the pipe.

My invention is designed to obviate the necessity of withdrawing the pipe by enabling the bits to be expanded laterally from the sides of the reamer when the latter is below the pipe, so as to enlarge the diameter ot' the shaft. i

The ream er is introduced origin all y in to the shaft with its bits extended, as shown in Figs. l and 3, thereby enabling the reamer to bore an opening ofsui'iicient diameter to receive the easing-pipe. The said boring-bits are maintained in their ext-ended position by the spring-actuated follower-block M, before described. Then it is desired to withdraw the reamer from the shaft or well, the same is raised until the projecting upperinclined corners, U', of the plates S come in contact with the lower end of the casing-pipe, when said .plates S are caused to move downward on the reamer and force the follo\ verblock M downward therewith against the tension of the spring R, thereby releasing the said block from the boring-bits and permitting the latter to swing within the reamer-head, so as to reduce the diameter of the latter to less than the internal diameter of the easing-pipe, and thereby permit the ready withdrawal of the reamer through the said pipe, as will be readily understood. As the plates S move downward, their upper ends are moved inward when the bolt I reaches the inclined upper portion ofthe slots T, and the notches U at the upper ends' of the said slots T engage the lower sides ot the bolt I, and thereby lock the said plates, so that the spring cannot force the followerblock upward, consequently preventing the bits from being expanded within the pipe and creating unnecessary friction therewith.

IIaving thus described my invention, I claiml. The combination of the reainer-head, the bits II, pivoted therein and adapted to have their lower ends extended laterally therefrom, the spring-actuated 'follower-block guided in the reamer-head and adapted to lock thebits when the same are extended, and the vertically-movable plates S, pi'votally connected to the :follower-block and having their upper ends adapted to engage the lower end of the well-tubing, substantially as described.

i). The combination of thercamer-head having the vertical recess I3 in its lower side, the vertical slots C at the upper end of said recess an d h avin g the vertical slots II in its sides, the bits II, arranged in the slots C, the bolt I, extending through the sides of the reamer and through the bits II to pivot the latter in the reamer, the spring-actuated follower-block M, adapted to engage the lower ends of the bits and lock the same in their extended position, said block having bolt N workingin the slots K, and the plates S, pivoted on the ends of the bolt N, bearing against opposite sides of the reamer, and having the slots T engaging the ends of bolt I, the upper ends of said slots being inclined in oppositie directions, and said plates S being further provided with the inclined upper corners, U', on their outer edges, substantially7 as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IVILLIAM VALLACE SVAN.

I/Vitnesses:

GEO. E. BRYANT, GEORGE Oris. 

